Spinal Tap II: The End Continues review rockers return for mockusequel of pin-sharp laughs and melancholy

"Legendary faux rockers Spinal Tap, with Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer as, respectively, lead guitarist Nigel Tufnel, lead singer David St Hubbins and bassist Derek Smalls, return in a cameo-studded rockusequel or, rather, mockusequel about the band's contractually enforced and horribly ill-fated one-off reunion gig in New Orleans. It's their first time playing together since a mysterious reported row between David and Nigel in 2009 brought the Tap bandwagon to a halt."

"And to paraphrase the Smiths: that joke is still funny it's not too close to home and it's not too near the bone but it is close, and you might have to work a little bit harder to remember how you felt the first time you saw the original. There's lots of good stuff here, some witty reboots and reworkings of gags from the first film and sprightly update appearances from minor, half-forgotten characters currently residing in the where-are-they-now? file."

"What I didn't anticipate about this film is how very sad it would make me feel. It was normal back in 1984 to call the characters in Spinal Tap ageing rockers. Now, well, they really are ageing. We all are. There is a kind of poignancy and melancholy in Tap II that perhaps wasn't entirely intentional. The amount of perspective is excessive."

Spinal Tap returns in a cameo-studded mockusequel focused on a contractually enforced, ill-fated one-off reunion gig in New Orleans. The band performs together for the first time since a mysterious reported row between David and Nigel in 2009 halted their career. The film includes witty reboots and reworkings of gags from the original, sprightly updates of minor characters, and several cameo appearances. The comedy delivers a standout laugh about Bruce Springsteen near the end. The sequel introduces the late manager Ian Faith's daughter Hope, who legally inherits the band's intellectual property and forces the band to get back together. The film unexpectedly conveys poignancy about ageing musicians and reveals the performers' real musical skill.

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